Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo made an impressive poker move in his pursuit of Steve Nash on Tuesday.

As first reported by ESPN’s Marc Stein, Colangelo signed New York Knicks restricted free agent Landry Fields to a three-year offer sheet. Sources confirmed to the Toronto Sun that the deal was worth $19 million U.S.

Ink can’t officially be put to paper until July 11th and New York will have three days to match.

As valuable as Fields is as a two-way contributor, the fallout of the move is just as important to the Raptors and that’s where the gamesmanship comes in

The Knicks were hoping to use Fields as a major part of a sign-and-trade offer to the Phoenix Suns, if Nash chose New York as his destination. Now, the Knicks have little to entice the Suns with and instead, due to salary cap complications in the final year of Landry’s new deal (New York already has a ton of salary committed in Year 3, when Landry will get the bulk of his cash), likely will lose a rotation player to a division rival and the chance to add Nash.

So with the Knicks now out of the running for Nash and with Deron Williams returning to Brooklyn, Dallas stands as the only other viable competitor for Colangelo and the Raptors for the two-time NBA MVP.

The Mavericks are hesitant to offer more than a one-year deal to Nash though, because they intend to be major players in free agency next season and also are considering offering the reins to Jeremy Lin or Goran Dragic, both far younger than Nash.

Fields is a strong defender, but the deal guarantees a lot of money for a player who only averaged 8.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and shot just 25.6% from three-point range and 56.2% from the free throw line as a sophomore, but if it results in a Nash signing, it will be worth it.

The Raptors desperately need Nash for a host of reasons discussed in this space over the past week.

If Fields can return to his rookie form (9.7 points, 6.4 rebounds per game, 39.3% shooting from outside, 76.9% from the line), nobody will be complaining about his contract either and he’ll be a fine complement to Nash.

Fields struggled after the Knicks acquired Carmelo Anthony and is far better suited to a fast-paced offence — like the one Nash directs — than the ball-stopping one favoured by Anthony.

Last February, with Anthony out for most of the month due to injury, Fields bumped his averages up to 10.5 points and 5.2 rebounds on 47.8% shooting from the field in 15 games.

His three-point stroke improved in April (33%) and Fields played well against the eventual champion Miami Heat in the playoffs, starting four of five games.

The Raptors expect Fields to start at small forward, with rookie Terrence Ross backing up both Fields and DeMar DeRozan.

The Raptors were not comfortable with both the dollar and term commitments necessary to land higher-profile small forward targets like Nic Batum and Gerald Wallace and have long been high on Fields, who resembles Oklahoma City’s Thabo Sefolosha in both frame and game.

The team would have made him an offer regardless of its pursuit of Nash.

With Williams’ decision now made, Nash is expected to make his own call within the next 24 hours.